Elliptic spring.



H. JEFFREY.` BLLIPTIC SPRING.

APPLmATIoN FILED APB. 11. mo.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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NTTE SATS A E FFTC.

ELLIPTIC SPRING.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY JEFFREY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in EllipticSprings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elliptic springs, especially such as are usedon the trucks of locomotive tenders and railway cars, and some of theobjects of my improvement are, simplicity and consequent comparativeinexpensiveness of construction and manufacture, durability, comparativeinexpensiveness of maintenance, to prevent breaking the ends off thefundamental leaves, to prevent excessive endwise shifting of the twohalves relative to each other, to provide a rolling bearing contactbetween the parts which work together, to strengthen and stien thespring as the load is increased by a rolling contact between thesecondary fundamental spring-plates, interchangeability of parts, andfacility of making repairs. These objects I attain by means of thestructure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a side elevation; Fig. 2, a side elevation under compression; Fig. 3is a top plan View; and, Fig. 4; is a detail perspective view of theflanged washer.

Similar reference numbers refer to simi lar parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

My invention may be embodied in a full elliptic spring, comprising upperand lower halves or sections, 1 and 2, which are made up of a number ofspringplates, 3, and may be bound together at the middle by straps, 4.,in the usual way.

The essential features of the improvement are embodied in the ends ofthe spring, where the sections l and 2 work against each other.

A primary fundament-al spring-plate, 5 and 6, is provided in eachsection of the spring, and a secondary fundamental plate, 7 and 8,respectively, is laid within and against plates 5 and 6.

The plates 5 and 6 extend the entire len th of the spring and are formedwith angu ar ends, 9 and 10, these angular ends being preferably formedby upsetting the metal.

The plates 7 and 8 are shorter than plates 5 and 6 and are formed withsquare ends, 11

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11, 1910.

Patented July 26, 1910. Serial No. 554,613.

and l2, the metal being` simply cut off square, and are formedsufhciently shorter than plates 5 and 6 to leave a suitable spacebetween their ends and the inner faces of the angular ends 9 and 10 ofplates 5 and 6. It will be understood that by this construction notches,13 and lll, are provided in the mutually facing surfaces of the sectionsl and 2.

A bolt, l5, preferably of polygonal cross section is placed in thesenotches, so that the primary fundamental plates 5 and 6 bear upon theupper and lower surface of the bolt and they are kept slightlyseparated. By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that when the springis set under load the mu` tually facing surfaces of plates 5 and 6 bearupon bolt l5 along its entire upper and lower surfaces.

The inner faces of the angular ends 9 and 10 are adapted to engage theouter surface of bolt 15, and the end faces of the square ends l1 and 12are adapted to abut against the inner face of the bolt. Thus, it will beunderstood, in case of endwise movement of the sections l and 2 relativeto each other, on account of lunging of the tender or car movement tothe right, for example, of the section l relative to section 2 will beresisted by end ll engaging bolt 15 and the bolt in turn engaging theangular end 10 of section 2. This locking of the sections together isaccomplished without incidental friction be tween the sectionsthemselves or between the sections and the bolt and there is thereforeneither appreciable loss of resiliency due to friction or appreciablewear from the same cause.

It will be observed that the angular ends 9 and l0 are perfectly free tomove while the plates 5 and 6 are in motion, since they are not confinedin any way and therefore are not liable to be broken off.

When the spring is placed under load the contiguous surfaces of plates 7and 8 are caused to approach at their ends ll and l2, and, if suilicientload is applied, to come into contact and bear upon each other. Thisproduces an effect similar to that of an additional elliptic spring, tohelp take care of the additional load applied, and considerablystrengthens the spring. It will be understood by reference to Fig. 2that, as additional load is applied, the area of contact between plates7 and 8 is lengt-hened Cia and approaches the middle of the spring, sothat the spring is accordingly further shortened in effect andstrengthened in proportion to the load applied. The attainment of thisresult is aided to a great extentby forming the plates 7 and S, as wellas the primary fundamental plates 5 and 6, with an ogee curve. It willalso be observed that plates 7 and 8 at all times lie in firm contactwith plates 5 and 6, at their ends 11 and l2 as well as at the middleunder the straps 4, and therefore when plates 7 and 8 bear upon eachother the ends of plates 5 and 6 which bear upon bolt 15 are relieved offurther strain and therefore not liable to be broken. The secondaryfundamental plates 7 and 8, therefore, act as safety plates to theprimary fundamental plates 5 and 6 in addition to serving as anadditional spring.

To keep the sections 1 and 2 in vertical alinement and prevent them fromjumping apart, washers, 1G, are provided. These are formed with apolygonal hole, 17 adapting them to receive bolt 15, and an upper andlower flange, 18 and 19. The washers 16 are so placed as to bear againstthe edges of plates 5, 6, 7, 8 and their flanges 18 and 19 extend overthe upper surface of plates 9 and 10, or additional plates, 20 and 21,when the spring is provided therewith.

The anges 18 and 19 are so spaced that they do not come into contactwith the spring plates when the spring is in operation, but allowfreedom of motion to the plates.

It will be understood that the washers 16 are supported out of contactwith the upper and lower surfaces of the spring plates by bolt 15, whichlits snugly in the hole 17, and thus rattling between the plates and thewashers is avoided without incurring the danger of binding the plates inthe washers and possibly breaking off their ends.

It will be appreciated that by the features just described a thoroughlyresilient and durable spring is provided and one which may be easily andcheaply constructed .and easily repaired and maintained in operativecondition.

Having thus described my invention, so that any one skilled in the artpertaining thereto may understand its construction and use, I claim- 1.An elliptic spring, comprising in combination, a primary fundamentalplate formed with bentV angular ends, and a secondary fundamental plateplaced against said primary fundamental plate and formed with straightsquare ends and shorter than said primary fundamental plate so that itsends lie at some distance within the angular ends of said primaryfundamental plate.

2. An elliptic spring, comprising in combination, a primary fundamentalplate formed with angular ends, a secondary fundamental plate lyingwithin and aga-inst said primary fundamental plate` formed with squareends and shorter than said primary fundamental plate, and a bolt ofpolygonal cross section placed under said primary fundamental plate tosupport it and between the angular end of said primary.

fundamental plate and the square end of said secondary fundamental plateto receive the end thrust of said plates.

3. In an elliptic spring, a primary fundamental plate, a secondaryfundamental plate, a polygonal bolt placed between the ends of saidplates, and a flanged washer on said bolt and against the edges of saidplates so that the flange of said washer may engage said primaryfundamental plate and prevent it from leaving said bolt.

4L. An ellipticspring, comprising in combination, a pair of primaryfundamental plates formed with bent angular ends and an ogee curve neareach end, and a pair of sec ondary fundamental plates lying within andagainst said lprimary fundamental ,plates and formed with straightsquare ends and an ogee curve corresponding to the ogee curve of saidprimary fundamental plates and being separated an appreciable distancefrom each other at the beginning of compression but adapted to bear uponeach other when the spring has been considerably set under load.

5. A full elliptic spring, comprising corresponding upper and lowerprimary fundamental plates formed with angular ends and ogee curves,upper and lower secondary fundamental plates formed with square ends andogee curves adjacent their ends placed contiguous to each other andadapted to bear upon each other when the spring is set under load, abolt of polygonal cross section placed between the mutually facingsidesIof said primary fundamental plates and be tween the angular ends of saidprimary fundamental plates and the square ends of said secondaryfundamental plates, and iianged washers secured on said bolts againstthe edges of said plates the flanges of which engage and prevent saidplates from .separating and leaving said bolts.

ABRAHAM KNOBEL, E. R. GAMBRELL.

